


One of Us

by MossadHuntinDog



Category: Eureka (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25701166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MossadHuntinDog/pseuds/MossadHuntinDog
Summary: So I dealt you the blow, one of us had to go... Tags to Founder's Day, One Giant Leap..., Lost, Friendly Fire and Worst Case Scenario. Jo/Zane.
Relationships: Zane Donovan/Jo Lupo
Comments: 8
Kudos: 8





	1. They passed me by, robbing me... I dealt you the blow... now it's different

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This looks at Founder's Day from Jo's perspective, and then Zane's (S2/3), after she's disappeared assuming that the 'original' timeline didn't disintegrate or collapse in on itself. Written: 2011-12.- Licia

_"They passed me by,_   
_All of those great romances_   
_You were, I felt, robbing me of my rightful chances_

_My picture clear, everything seemed so easy_   
_And so I dealt you the blow_   
_One of us had to go_   
_Now it's different, I want you to know"_

_\- One of Us,_

_Abba_

She couldn't breathe.

_Me? Marry you? In what universe?_

This couldn't be happening.

She struggled to get a hold of the emotions buzzing within her; her heart stalled, her pulse began to quicken, and she could feel the foreign pricking of tears beginning. Taking a shaky breath, she turned away, stumbling towards Jack's desk. Her hands made contact with the wood, and she forced herself to take comfort in the familiar oak.

A bitter laugh rose within her; for years she'd coveted this desk, the position and importance it represented. But over time, she'd come to realize it was nothing more than a desk, and a job, and it couldn't give her the warmth of strong arms or the heart-stopping thrill of a familiar kiss. It had never looked at her with eyes alight with love, whispered her name in the haze of sleep-

It was a _desk_.

It couldn't give her what a man could. What the man sitting in that cell could.

_This has to be a joke. It's a prank, to get back at me for hesitating. That's it, that's exactly it. He's doing this to get back at me because he'd mad, and hurt and refuses to let me see it. Typical Zane, hiding your pain._

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her thoughts and then straightened, turning back to him. Mustering her courage, she plastered on a smile, leaning back against the desk. _Play it cool, Jo. Don't let him see how much he's hurt you. Get him back for it, but don't let him know you're hurting._ Releasing a slow breath, she cleared her throat and shifted her gaze back to him. "In what universe?" It came out shaky; his blue gaze shifted to her, and he slowly lowered the magazine.

She'd gotten his attention. Good.

Trying hard to play nonchalant, she crossed her arms over her chest, studying him. "In this universe."

He snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen, Lupo." He returned his attention to his magazine, and she sighed, moving around to take a seat at Carter's desk. She could feel the small, velvet box holding Zane's ring dig into her hip where it was buried in her pocket. All she really wanted to do was pull it out, shove it beneath his nose, and remind him of the proposal he'd planned hours earlier, tell him that she'd hesitated not because she didn't want to marry him, but because she'd been caught off guard.

_I hate surprises, you know that, Zane._

Clearing her throat, she choked out, "Wh... what'd you do?"

His gaze darted to her, and he rattled off something about monkeys in the animal testing lab and deserving to be let out to enjoy the festivities, or... something. She was only half-listening; the very real realization that they were only feet apart, separated by that stupid cell, and that stupid magazine he kept thumbing through was making it hard to concentrate. "What?"

He was standing now, his magazine forgotten, leaning against the bars. "C'mon Lupo, have a heart. I've got a date."

_I've got a date._

She could feel her heart begin to break, the prick of tears at the backs of her eyes. Swallowing thickly, she moved away from the desk after grabbing the keys. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she unlocked it. As he passed by, he didn't miss the glimmer of moisture in her dark gaze before it darted quickly to the floor.

* * *

He couldn't believe she hadn't said anything.

Sure, Carter had chosen the _exact wrong time_ to interrupt, and maybe that had had something to do with it, but even so, it shouldn't have taken her that long to form an answer. It was one word, for Christ's sake! _One word_.

_Yes._

How hard could it _possibly_ be to make your mouth form three simple letters.

He sank back against the seat of his chair on the patio of Cafe Diem, watching the festivities. He had no reason to celebrate; any cause for celebration ended when Jo hesitated. A moment passed, as something crossed his train of thought, and he sat up.

_The ring._

When Carter had interrupted, he'd left, leaving the ring in its box in Jo's hands. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. _Might as well accept that just... doesn't want to marry you, end the relationship and get the ring back._ That was the last thing he wanted to do, however, but if she wasn't going to give him an answer, then he didn't really have much choice. He'd put his heart on the line- offered her forever- and she hadn't even thrown it back at him, she'd just... just...

It sucked.

This relationship, while not easy, had been perhaps the most important one of his life. He truly, truly loved Jo, and couldn't imagine his life without her. He wanted the white wedding, the honeymoon, the pregnancy announcements and babies and the chaos of toddlers and children, lazy Saturdays in bed with Jo, weeknight lullabies and stories with their children, sticky candy kisses and greasy pancake messes and stick figure drawings in crayon that he could tack to the board above his desk. As he'd handed her the box, he couldn't help but think of chaotic birthday parties and Christmas mornings wading through wrapping paper, loose baby teeth and tooth fairy surprises and Easter egg hunts in the backyard... all the things done together as a family.

A family... for the first time in his life, Zane could actually admit that he wanted a family of his own. With Jo.

With a soft growl of annoyance, he stood, grabbing his PDA. _God, man up, Donovan. Since when do you give up on something you want so easily? She hesitated; she didn't say no!_

Stalking off in search of a quiet corner of the town square, he pulled up Jo's number. "Come on, Jojo, pick up." He looked up next to find himself standing in the sheriff's office, his feet- or maybe his heart- had led him back to her. He stopped, seeing a familiar black ponytail in the office, and he slowly lowered the PDA. "Jo?"

She didn't seem to hear him, so he stepped into the room and spoke up. "Jojo?" Her ponytail snapped as she turned to face him, and he couldn't hide the relief he felt. "Oh thank God-" Her brow furrowed, and she stepped back as he reached for her.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing," Her dark eyes narrowed, and she pulled back even further. " _Donovan_." She ground out, arms crossing over her chest. That ridiculous uniform she wore still appeared to be a size to big for her, even though she had clearly had it tailored to her shape. It took a moment for him to realize that she was actually in a dark green skirt with sheer tights instead of pants, a white blouse and a matching jacket with a black tie and gloves. A dark green cap was on her head; similar to what flight attendants wore in the nineteen fifties, and she had a pair of dress shoes with low heels on... he _knew_ that uniform...

 _My Abuela was in the auxiliary forces during the Second World War. When I was a kid, I begged her to let me keep her old uniform. After I near begged her ear off, she agreed to let me keep it probably more to get me to stop begging than anything else._ Of course, this was her grandmother's uniform-

"Ah... I was... gonna apologize."

A look of surprise crossed her face, before she crossed her arms over her chest. "You were? Good. Then after you do, _you_ can go tell Director Fargo that you're responsible for those monkeys getting lose-"

"Whoa, whoa, Jo, back up. Monkeys? Director Fargo?" She nodded.

"Yeah, the monkeys you let loose in GD today."

"I didn't let any monkeys loose in GD today, Jo. I've been at Cafe Diem for the last two hours trying to clear my head." He sighed. "Look," He reached for her hands, but she pulled away. "I... I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't set any monkeys free, but... Look, I... I came to apologize for earlier." One delicate eyebrow rose. "I shouldn't have stormed out like I did. I _know_ you don't like surprises, and what I did surprised you. I should have taken that into account when I proposed to you this morning."

She let out a scoff of indignation. " _You_? _Proposed_? To _me_?" He nodded. " _In what universe?_ " She shook her head, holding up her hands. "Fine, don't take credit for those monkeys. I'll just review the security footage and that will prove you're lying." She gave him a wide berth as she went to the door, casting a glance back at him with a scoff and a shake of her head as she disappeared. Zane watched her go in horrified shock, too stunned to stop her. Her words echoed loudly in the quiet of the office, and he found himself wondering what exactly had happened to his almost-fiance and if he could somehow rewind the clock to this morning, before she'd hesitated, before Carter had walked in, before he'd stormed out.

_You? Proposed? To me? In what universe?_


	2. Staring at the ceiling... in a lonely bed... wishing she had never left at all...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Tag to One Giant Leap... first half is Zane before the launch, second half is Jo on her walkabout.

_"One of us is crying_   
_One of us is lying_   
_In her lonely bed_   
_Staring at the ceiling_   
_Wishing she was somewhere else instead_

_One of us is lonely_   
_One of us is only_   
_Waiting for a call_   
_Sorry for herself, feeling stupid feeling small_   
_Wishing she had never left at all"_

_\- One of Us,_

_Abba_

He took a deep breath, he could do this.

Six months on Titan would be a cakewalk compared to six months in Federal.

And yet...

"You ready, Zane?" He turned his head, meeting the Medical Director's gaze. Allison gave him a sad smile, seeing the pain in his eyes. "Oh, Zane."

"Take care of her for me, Allison." She opened her mouth, but he continued. "I know she's probably... going wherever, but... if you can, watch over her for me, even if she decides not to come back? Even if she decides that she doesn't want us, make sure she's okay. Please? I could," He swallowed thickly. "I could _live_... with not having her... as long as I know she's safe and happy, even... even if she's not with me."

Allison reached up, caressing his cheek, brushing at the tears neither acknowledged the way only a mother could. "Zane, it's Jo. She'll be back. No matter where she goes or what she does, Eureka is her _home_. _You_ are her home. You just have to have a little faith."

 _"Faith."_ He choked on the word, feeling like it was a reminder of why he avoided anything and everything to do with organized religion.

"Yes, _faith._ That thing that Jo's always had in you. Have a little faith in her now."

He sniffled, closing his eyes briefly to regain some sort of control over his emotions. He released a slow breath, reaching up to take Allison's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. He met her gaze again, and Allison saw the world reflected in his light blue gaze. Despite his bravado, despite his childishness, despite his cockiness and penchant for trouble, Zane had fallen for Jo. Deeply, irrevocably in love with Jo. She'd briefly caught the last words he'd said to her before she'd kissed him goodbye and fled.

_You were never a hookup._

She had always known that Jo and Zane were always meant to be; from the moment he'd walked into the sheriff's office, a cocky young kid with a quick smile and a tendency to attract planned chaos, Allison knew that the new hire and the young deputy would end up together. It had taken them a while- though not as long as her and Jack- but eventually, they'd gotten there. But with the timeline change, she'd watched Jo's heart shatter inside her chest, watched as this Zane had not only dismissed her, but proceeded to date and flirt with every female in the town- even Zoe, which had just about near destroyed Jo- and had wanted nothing more than to take the younger man aside and beat him for what he was doing to her friend.

But Jo had taken care of that... inadvertently.

Throwing that ring in his face, telling him that they didn't fit- a complete and absolute lie- and that she didn't care anymore, even though deep down it was killing her... such a simple action had sent them on a collision course that brought them back together; sure, it wasn't _exactly_ as it had been in their timeline, but it had done its job. Jo was his, no matter how he tried to play it off; and he was hers.

Running away, even under the guise of a walkabout, wouldn't change that.

_You are so much more than a hookup. You're mine, Jojo. Whether you admit it to yourself or not, accept it or not, you're mine, just like I'm yours._

Oh, yes, Allison knew how to read between the lines; something those two young kids had yet learned how to do successfully.

_Take care, Jojo._

A moment passed, before he released Allison's hand.

_Don't leave me, Jojo. Please._

She smiled softly at Zane, brushing one last tear from his cheek quickly. Then, she leaned over, brushing a quick kiss to his forehead. For all his faults, for all her faults, despite the lives they led separate from hers, Allison still considered them hers. They were the children Allison had never got to have with her first husband. They were the siblings Kevin never got to have, because Nick had died before Kevin had been born. They were, in so many ways, the children she'd never gotten to have with Nathan after Jenna- yes, she loved Jenna, but she had wanted more; a _real_ family with Nathan.

Jo and Zane were hers as much as they were Carter's. And everyone knew that Carter viewed Jo as a surrogate daughter; it was lesser-known that he was starting to view Zane- _this_ Zane- as the son he'd never had. And all Carter or her or _anyone_ in Eureka wanted, was for their kids to be happy. But currently? Their kids were hurting, even if neither stubbornly said anything. Hopefully six months apart would be long enough for them to get their acts together and their hearts in the right place.

"It'll be okay, Zane. Just have faith. In her and yourself. You and Jo... you were always meant to be."

* * *

The sheets were cool against her skin, but she didn't notice, nor did she care.

The sunlight splashed onto the floor of the room she was staying in; the historic bed and breakfast up in Salem was quaint, with its yellow clapboard and its black awnings, the simple red and gold sign reading _The Coach House Inn, Bed and Breakfast_. Her room was nice, spacious, the blankets on the bed soft, the perfect comfort to relax in. The fact that she'd managed to make it to Salem, Massachusetts in a week's time hadn't surprised her. She'd determined that she wasn't going to look back when she left, and she hadn't.

She shifted from her back onto her side, glancing at the phone resting on the nightstand. She knew it was ridiculous; he was millions of miles away by now, probably having the time of his life on Titan with the other nineteen eggheads, but even so, she couldn't help wishing.

_Look at you, waiting by the phone for a call, like some... some lovesick teenage girl waiting for the boy she likes to call her. It's never going to happen. He's not going to call. Not only can he not, but he wouldn't anyway. He didn't ask you to wait for him, so why should you wait for his call?_

She shifted on to her back again, gaze going back to the ceiling. What were the lyrics to that old nineteen seventies song? The one by that famous Swedish group her mom had loved so? Oh, yeah... _One of us is lying in a lonely bed..._ she was certainly doing that, staring at the ceiling, feeling like an idiot for leaving things with Zane the way she had.

Why had she-

She groaned and sat up, climbing off the bed and rummaging through her duffel for a book; best to distract herself while she could. Her hand hit something soft, and she stopped, slowly pulling the thing out. She sat heavily on the bed, heart in her throat the heather grey of his shirt muted and yet glaring in her hands. Sniffling, she slowly brought the fabric up; she buried her nose in it.

He enveloped her, his scent filling every part of her, right down to the molecular level, and she choked on a sob. She lay back against the blankets and pillows, holding the shirt close. God, why did it still smell of him? Why was it in her bag to begin with? She could have sworn she'd given it back to him before she'd left- but apparently not.

_I didn't want you to leave, Jojo. I wish you'd never left._

For the briefest of moments, his arms were tight around her, his lips in her hair, his voice in her ear. She choked on another sob; she felt so _stupid_ , so sorry for herself, so... so small. For all her smarts, however limited they may be, she was so... so...

In love.

_Just admit it, Jo, you're in love with him. You've always been, you never stopped, even when you tried._

Curling around Zane's shirt, in the privacy of her room, she finally let the tears fall; for hesitating, for trying so hard to walk away, for giving in, for not telling him what she so desperately wanted to, for not staying... for letting herself fall all over again.

Why, oh _why_ , had she left? Even though she knew it was late- far, far too late now- to fix it, she just wished-


	3. I saw myself... just like a child, stubborn and misconceiving... now I've changed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Tag to Lost, Zane's perspective... and gives a little insight into why Zane didn't seem to fight for Jo in Virtual Eureka. Cause I don't know about you guys, but it didn't really seem like he fought for her at all.- Zani

_"I saw myself as a concealed attraction_   
_I felt you kept me away from the heat and the action_

_Just like a child, stubborn and misconceiving_   
_That's how I started the show_   
_One of us had to go_   
_Now I've changed and I want you to know"_

_\- One of Us,_

_Abba_

She smiled softly at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.

It was funny, she hadn't changed in four years.

He shuddered.

Four years. They'd been gone _four years_.

And in those four years, so much had changed.

SARAH, Carter's smart house was- surprisingly- the Head of Global, ANDY, Carter's deputy, former deputy, Zane had to remind himself, was the Head of Security, which had put Jo out of a job, forcing her to return to her place as Carter's deputy.

Oh, yeah, Carter.

He had adopted Allison's kids, and was raising both Kevin and Jenna- well, Jenna. Kevin was apparently away at Harvard or MIT or one of the top Ivies. He still lived in the bunker.

With Jo.

That hurt more than anything; coming back to the place that was finally starting to feel like home, only to discover that four years had passed and the woman he was pretty sure he was in love with had moved on. It made him half sick, to think of it. When she looked at him, there wasn't anything of the love that had shone in her eyes when he'd left- for even though they'd tried to deny it, the eyes don't lie.

He sighed.

Maybe this was payback for what she'd gone through after arriving in his timeline, when he'd had no memory of her or their two year relationship because it hadn't existed in his time. Maybe this was to get back at him for all the shit he'd put her through until they'd finally gotten their act together and come back to each other... Or maybe this was to get back at him for not telling her his true feelings before they parted ways...

She reached over, laying a hand over his, and he turned to her; a soft smile settled on her features, and for the briefest of moments, things were back to normal.

"I am really glad that you're back, Zane. Eureka hasn't been the same without... any of you."

He nodded, shifting his hand around; their fingers slid together, and for the briefest of moments, the world felt normal again.

And then she pulled away, climbing to her feet and grabbing her cup. "I need to get back to work."

He watched her walk away, taking a deep breath. Tears began to gather in his eyes and he struggled to keep them from falling. He shouldn't be upset about this, he should have known... she hadn't promised to wait for him, that much had been clear. So he had no right to be upset that she had moved on. He should have known that when they'd parted ways, there was a huge possibility that she'd move on, he just... hadn't expected it to be with _Carter_ , of all people.

He let out a groan of annoyance, getting up and grabbing his cup which he tossed in the trash as he left the patio. As he stuffed his hands in his pockets and trekked back to his apartment, he couldn't help feeling that he'd let the most important thing in his world slip away. Why was he so stupid? It was obvious by now- if not to anyone else, then to himself- that he was in love with Josephina Lupo. And not just kind of in love, but truly, madly, deeply in love with her.

But it had taken five years for him to finally admit it to himself; and in that time, at least for one of those years, he'd acted like a child- pulling pranks and picking on her, torturing her, really, with his constant flirting with half of GD, with the debacle with Zoe... not standing up to her about what they were, not staking his claim more permanently on her with three little words-

The three words she had tried so hard not to tell him during their brief time together.

Brief.

Their time had been more than brief, it felt as though it hadn't happened at all. As though he'd dreamed it up, in some fever-induced haze, where he lived in a timeline where Jo Lupo was the Head of Security at Global, where she had loved him and he her, even if they were too scared to admit it. It was a world where she had once worn his ring on a chain around her neck, where their many missteps had led them back to each other, where first kisses didn't taste like first kisses and first times weren't first times, where sparks were sparks and they caught fire and burned hot and bright and out of control.

He stopped, turning back. He'd just passed the sheriff's office. Part of him screamed to just go home, but the other part yearned to find her and try- even if he failed- to get her back. _Come on, Donovan, man up. Fight for her, for God's sake!_

Making his decision, he turned, striding into the office with a new purpose. Jo didn't look up from the paperwork she was filing, so maybe she didn't hear him. He quietly made his way towards her, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder. She turned, ponytail snapping as she did so, grabbing his hand and bending it back, before she stopped. "Zane. Sorry. You startled me."

He smiled softly at her. "Sorry, Jojo, I just..." She waited, and he shrugged, reaching out and taking her hand. "Can we start over? Please?" She seemed to think for the briefest of moments, before nodding. Before Zane could say anything, Jo hand wrapped him in a hug. "I missed you, Jojo."

"I missed you too."

He held her close, breathing in the scent of her vanilla shampoo... and slowly, as they parted, their gazes locked. Zane didn't think, in those moments; instead, he leaned down, capturing her mouth in his.

It was like before- the sparks were there, as bright and vivid and passionate as always. She leaned into the kiss, tangling a hand in his hair, and Zane was starting to think that maybe- _just maybe_ \- Jo was only with Carter to give Jenna a stable home, that maybe she wasn't actually in a relationship the sheriff and that maybe they were just together for the sake of Jenna.

She pulled away, met his gaze, smiled softly, for a moment, the world was right; she was his, as she'd always been, and they were back where they belonged, in each others' arms- and then something flicked within her dark eyes and she frowned. Pushed him away and slapped him, _hard_. "How _dare_ you, Zane! _I'm with Carter now! I've been with him for the last three years! Just because you came back doesn't change that!"_

He stumbled back, hand to his cheek. "Jo, please, we could have what we-"

She shook her head, a look of disgust on her pretty features, and for the split-est of seconds, the Enforcer was back in his Jo's place. _"No."_ She ground out, anger sparking in her dark eyes. _"Now get out."_

Knowing he'd only aggravate the situation if he tried to get her to see reason, he left. As soon as he was behind the door of his apartment, he leaned his head back and unashamedly, let the tears fall.


	4. Sorry for herself... wishing she was somewhere else instead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Tag to Friendly Fire, Jo's perspective...

_"One of us is crying_   
_One of us is lying_   
_In her lonely bed_   
_Staring at the ceiling_   
_Wishing she was somewhere else instead_

_One of us is lonely_   
_One of us is only_   
_Waiting for a call_   
_Sorry for herself, feeling stupid feeling small_   
_Wishing she had never left at all_   
_Never left at all"_

_\- One of Us,_

_Abba_

She was officially starting to believe that it was better if she left after all.

She still had all her things packed away- what was left, anyway, and with her credentials, she could get a job anywhere in the country if she wanted. Maybe a job tracking terrorist cells with the FBI, or playing spy with the CIA, hell, even working the Navy yard with NCIS sounded appealing- anywhere that didn't involve disappearing FTL space ships, imminent, world destroying disasters, matrices, angry Medical Directors, idiot town sheriffs and childish boyfriend-lovers. Oh, and fire-starting fireballs.

That would be a huge plus, couldn't forget that one.

She tugged a hand through her ponytail, and with a sigh, folded her arms on the counter, her conversation with Carter in her office coming back into her head as she waited for her food.

_"... if I decide to stay."_

_"You're still thinking of leaving?"_

_"GD offered me my job back, but uh... I haven't said yes."_

And after today, she _definitely_ wasn't planning on saying yes. She cleared her throat; minor smoke inhalation, second degree burns, and a singed ponytail weren't necessarily enough to make her walk away from her job, but the awkwardness between her, Carter and Zane were, not to mention the animosity Allison held towards her. She felt like she was the butt of a practical joke gone wrong, but no one would tell her what the joke was, and she didn't like it.

So, better to cut the cord while she could and hightail it out of there before anyone noticed.

"Here you go, Jo." She thanked Vincent quickly. "It's good to have you back." A soft smile was her only response. Once more left alone, she picked at her food, not really having the appetite for it. Her thoughts drifted to the fact that no one- no Fargo, not Allison, not Carter, and certainly not _Zane_ \- had bothered to inform her of what really went on in the matrix until she'd been presented with it in the middle of the town's latest crisis.

No one seemed to value the fact that she was completely out of the loop; suddenly, their little group brought together by time travel shifted. She was excluded, forced to be on the outside looking in on a unique group of twenty-one, who all shared the same delusion, which cast her in the role of the bad guy. And not one of them was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Well, fine. If they chose to believe that she was really this horrible... _person_... then she wouldn't give them the opportunity to lord it over her anymore. Once she finished her meal, she'd hand in her resignation, pack up her car, and skip town. She refused to remain in a town where it was so evidently clear that she _was not wanted_.

If that meant more lonely nights, with her staring at the ceiling while she waited for the phone to ring, for the rest of her life, then so be it.

She could move on, start over, start fresh. She didn't _need_ Eureka. _They_ needed her, but clearly, they were all willing to overlook that fact to shun her for something _she_ hadn't done in a virtual world. How quickly a place that felt like home could turn to a prison. She had an inkling of how Zane felt after he'd first arrived, right down to the itching to get out. Taking a deep breath, she quickly brushed a couple tears away. She wouldn't give these... these... egghead assholes the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"So, Jack tells me that you're planning on leaving town."

She turned, surprised to see Allison sitting beside her, waiting for her tea. Releasing a soft, shaky breath, she nodded. "Yeah." _And the sooner I get away, the faster you'll forget about me and stop seeing me as... whatever threat you think I pose._ "Yeah, I'm... I'm considering it. Highly."

Allison nodded; she hadn't missed the soft, biting undertone of Jo's words, nor the direction and target they were intended to hit. Nor had she missed the glimmer of tears on her cheeks, or the quick swipe to hide them.

"Well, don't." She reached out to take Jo's hand, but the younger woman pulled away; a teenager not wanting to be touched, especially by a parent. She sighed softly. "If today has taught us _anything_ , Jo,"

The younger woman swallowed hard. _Go ahead and say it, Allison. Or maybe I'll say it for you- get the Hell out, you're not wanted anymore-_

"It's how much you're needed here." Jo's head snapped up, dark chocolate eyes widening in surprise. _What? What the Hell did she just say?_ "Not just by the town or even Carter." This time when Allison reached for her hand, she didn't pull away. "You ran into a burning building to save my _kids_ , Jo." She met the older woman's gaze, and Allison smiled softly, seeing the pain in her girl's gaze. "Don't go."

A moment passed, as Jo opened her mouth to speak, just as the bell sounded over the door of Cafe Diem; both women turned instinctively. Jo quickly turned away, going back to picking at her food. Even though he tried to hide it, his gaze had slid towards Jo immediately, and Allison had seen the pain flash across his face, and she knew that the only way their pain would heal, was if they talked, if they worked out their problems. "I saw the look on Zane's face when he thought he'd lost you." She squeezed Jo's hand. "He needs you too."

With tea in hand, she leaned down, pressing a kiss to Jo's hair before returning to Carter and the kids, throwing one last glance over her shoulder in time to see Zane sidle up to the counter and take her now unoccupied seat. An uncomfortable silence settled between them after Vincent left to get Zane's order, and he knocked his knuckles on the counter before taking a deep breath. "Look, if I've been a jerk the last few days-"

"Don't apologize to me." She cut him off and jerked her head back. "Apologize to him."

Slowly, both turned to stare at Carter, who waved, only to look hurt when Zane abruptly turned away; Jo followed after a moment. Zane inhaled deeply, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah that's... not gonna happen."

She sighed. "You know, whole jealousy thing-"

"Jealous? I'm not jealous-" But the quick way he tried to cover it up screamed at her that he was absolutely jealous.

"It's..." She stopped, trying to pick the right words. "It's quite cute."

A blush appeared over his cheeks, and he ducked his head. "All right, fine, I'm jealous. What do you want from me?"

She sighed, shaking her head. What _did_ she want from him, exactly? She couldn't just say that she wanted him, but if she were honest... and then there was this whole town... she loved Zane, she knew that now; she'd always loved Zane, she'd never stopped, even when she'd tried to. But would she ever be happy with just Zane? If she were really honest with herself, could she be? "I'm just... not sure yet."

"Really?" He scoffed gently, turning his gaze to his hands. "Cause you seemed pretty happy when I got back."

Her teeth came out to nibble on her lower lip. "Zane, I... I feel like I... like there's still some stuff I need to figure out." She swallowed thickly, mustering her courage to say what was on her mind. _I'm leaving Eureka, for good this time. I'm not coming back, and I want you to come with me._ "Maybe I just need a bit more time-"

"Well too bad, Jo." He looked up, swiveling on his stool to face her. The pain in his blue eyes was evident now. "We either figure this thing out together, or we end it right now," His voice shook, and she could see the tears in his eyes; tears that mirrored her own. "Because all this back and forth, it's killing me. I can't do it anymore, Jo."

She swallowed, studying him for a moment, before glancing over at Carter and Allison; they watched silently, seeming to hold their breath in regards to what she'd do. She had a choice to make, and it affected not only her, but him as well. She had spent so much time crying for him over the last few weeks, staring at the ceilings of the places she stayed, hoping the phone would ring and he'd ask her to come home. She had thought she wanted to be out in the world, but over time, she'd started to realize that all she wanted was to be back in Eureka, in his arms; she'd spent an insurmountable time period wishing she'd never left at all, and now that she was back... could she really leave? Leave Eureka? Leave Zane?

Taking a deep breath, she leaned over, taking his face in her hands and kissing him. His lips were soft, as they always were, and warm, inviting and teasing, like always. She tasted the salt of his tears, and the light smoke from their famous spark as it once more ignited when their lips met. Slowly, she pulled away.

"So is that goodbye then, or-"

She silenced his fears with another- deeper- kiss.


	5. One of us is lonely... staring at the ceiling...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Tag to Worst Case Scenario, Jo's perspective...

_"Staring at the ceiling_   
_Wishing she was somewhere else instead_   
_One of us is lonely_   
_One of us is only_   
_Waiting for a call_   
_Sorry for herself, feeling stupid feeling small_   
_Wishing she had never left at all_   
_Never left at all"_

_\- One of Us,_

_Abba_

Sometimes she really hated that woman.

The _nerve_.

And then she had the _audacity_ to come to her after the the real-life disaster drill had been fixed, and proceed to tell _her_ that she should have _known_ it wasn't Carter, especially since she knew that he'd been swapping bodies all day.

 _The absolute and complete nerve._ Chastising her like she was a child who'd gotten caught coloring on the walls with permanent marker.

Allison, with her Holier-Than-Thou attitude, and her near perfect career and her her semi-charmed life and...

She let out a shriek as she shifted onto her back. The cherry blossom printed comforter beneath her was still smooth and new as it draped over her bed, as of yet untouched by bodies slick with sweat and the sweet scent of sex. How _dare_ that woman insinuate that she should have known better- once again, she'd been kept out of the loop, once more becoming the butt of everyone's joke. Just one more reason why she should have turned tail and run when she'd had the chance.

If Allison was still going to give her the cold shoulder, then she was better off booking it out of Eureka at first light, because clearly, Allison thought this town and all the people in it belonged to her-

She paused; no, she couldn't do that. She's promised Zane that they were in this together, and if she were honest, Eureka was her home. She couldn't imagine leaving it. So instead, she'd just do all she could to avoid Allison from now until world's end.

A sigh escaped her throat, and she returned her gaze to the ceiling above her head. How had her life turned into a soap opera? What had she done to deserve this? What wormhole had she been shoved through that warranted _that_ kind of treatment from Allison? God, she hated that woman.

A hand came up to brush at the tears trailing down her cheeks. She hated crying; it made her weak. She had learned long ago that crying was something that could be used against you, and that she was better protected if she didn't cry. And if she ever did cry, then it was in the privacy of her own home. She would never admit it to anyone, but it hurt. She had considered Allison a good friend, but apparently the feeling was not mutual.

But what hurt more was that she knew Jack would take her side if he ever found out what she'd said; proving that her circle of friends was doing nothing but getting smaller and smaller...

Taking a deep breath, she lowered her hand from her cheeks; it came to rest against her abdomen. That led her to... this. She was late, by a couple weeks, and it was freaking her out. She hadn't taken a test yet, however, because she'd wanted to have Allison run it to make sure, but now...

Granted, it could be due to stress, but, still. What if she was? Oh, God, she dare not hope.

She wanted kids, of course she did. A part of her always had, but...

After a moment, she sat up. She'd picked up a couple tests at the drugstore after leaving work, but was really hoping she wouldn't have to use it. But since she refused to go crawling to Allison for help with this issue, it looked like she was going to have to use them. It took no time at all to take them, and that just left the wait- she hated waiting.

Two minutes.

She could wait two measly minutes while a stick determined her future.

So she returned to the bed, climbing back onto it and laying down, gaze going back to the ceiling. A moment passed, as she got lost in the design of the overhead light. _"... lying in a lonely bed staring at the ceiling..."_ How many times had she done this in the last few weeks? Lay in bed after getting home from work and stared at the ceiling while her mind ran circles and the tears dried on her cheeks? She couldn't bring herself to cry with Zane around; it felt wrong to for some reason, but she couldn't say why. So she kept her tears to herself, as she'd always done.

When the timer on her phone went off, she clambered off the bed, stumbling into the bathroom. Heart in her throat, she grabbed the test.

A rush of relief passed through her, followed quickly by a twinge of sadness. Not that she didn't love Zane and didn't want children- especially his- but not now, not when she felt so up in the air. And yet... and yet, she was sad that there would be no little miniature of one of them in nine months. Returning the test to the box and then throwing it in the trash, she returned to the bedroom, laying back down to stare at the ceiling.

Not that she wasn't relieved she _wouldn't_ be putting motherhood into her resume, there was that tiny part of her that she could admit was disappointed. Though they hadn't brought up the subject, Jo knew that Zane very much wanted children some day. He adored Jenna, and had made a remark once that Stark would have been a very lucky man, because Jenna was such a beautiful little girl. The comment had startled Jo, especially because he seemed to be so against commitment- though, come to find out, that was farthest from the truth. Zane had told her one night, not long after they'd been rescued, that the thing he had wanted most when he was a kid, was to one day be a father, and when she asked why, his answer had broken her heart.

_"So I can be there for my children. I know what it's like to have your father walk out on you, and I will never do that to my kids."_

So how would he react to the news there had been a possibility that he could have become a dad, but that the test had come back negative? Would he be relieved? or disappointed? She wouldn't have a lot of time to form a possible explanation, hearing the front door swing open. She reached up, brushing a stray tear away, hearing the footsteps in the living room. When she next turned her head, it was to Zane climbing up beside her. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Sorry I'm late, babe. Clean up and catalogue was insane-" He stopped, blue eyes filling with worry. "Hey, what's this for?" He reached over, gently catching her tears. "Don't do that, Jojo. You're starting to worry me."

A moment passed, before she shifted onto her side, tucking her arm beneath her head. Taking a deep breath, she reached out, trailing a finger down his cheek. "Zane, I have to tell you something."


End file.
